The Nameless
by JZiska
Summary: Born to a tribe that relies on the ways of the old, a girl without a name is raised to be a warrior against another tribe. Once she faces them, she is met with the awful truth of what her tribe really is. Conflicted by these new facts, will she be able to make a name for herself, or become the sheep for the wolves of her tribe?
1. The Promise

(AN: Hello, please leave critical comments. Also I do not own any of the artwork. Each art except the title cover has the artist's info. I just use the pictures as a reference of how the characters look. Thank you and enjoy.)

We are told that our kind are born to be blessed by the Priest Yocab I through the blood of our All Mother. Our All Mother is picked every fifty years by the time she is a young maiden and had slain at least twenty of our arrival tribes. She will be taken to the Shrine of Yocab where she undergoes major training of the heart, soul, and body. If she survives, she then will be presented to all of the people in our tribe with marvelous wings. The All Mother is to protect us and be kept as a virgin throughout her time. If she is deflowered, well mistakes like myself happen and she is to be executed before the tribe after her dying wish. Usually the offspring and father will either be exiled or be killed along with her.  
In my case however, I was born with white hair and silver eyes. The High Elders took this as a sign that all what was pure left in my mother was transferred into me. My fate set in stone to be the next All Mother once I undergo the training and experience my mother had gone through. If I were to fail, I would have to be killed like my father and mother.  
I do not plan to fail, I thought as I swung my wooden sword repeatedly at the straw dummy who took every hit with pieces of straw flying about. I will not fail! I could feel my skin tingle with every anticipation to grow stronger. My cheeks flushed as I heard a crowd gathering near and their whispers of discouragement.  
A hand rested on my right shoulder as I paused for a breather. My lungs on fire, I couldn't let my sharp tongue speak. I only turned around slowly as I gathered my breath and gazed up at a boy of maybe eight or so. Messy dark red hair matted around his face as he too was sweating. His light green eyes hazed with honey of the sunset was full of determination as he grinned and wiped his brow.  
"J'hai." I blinked at him as he properly greeted me. No one has ever done that.  
"J-J'hai..." I mumbled back.  
He chuckled, "I want to spar you, White. You seem to know what you are doing, and your footing is good too. But, I kind of want to see how it would be against me." He said rather too cocky as he held his chin up.  
"You do know that we must be in the same age group to spar? And my name is not 'White'." I pursed my lips as I glared at him.  
"Age? I am seven. We are in the same class, White." He held his side's as he laughed for a moment. I did not join him, but put my sword against the dummy.  
"Fine." I turned around to face him. This was usual for me, people wanted to spar me and usually I let them win due to the ugly glares and words I get if I were to win. I sighed and stood still with my hands at my face and my knees slightly bent. I looked as pathetic as the dummy behind me, but I found this stance easier for myself to least likely get hurt.  
His reply was a crescendo of laughter. The crowd started to disperse and I felt warmth engulfing me into a tight embrace. Confused, I peeked through my fingers and saw the red of his hair lick the skies as though they were flames. I felt his cheek against mine and his laughter suddenly stopped. "White as snow and pure of heart, yet the fools see you as weak. But I know. I know you are strong. Please, I don't want to see you alone anymore. Promise me that you can come to me whenever you need aide." Be had whispered this into my ear so softly before pulling himself away. My hands dropped and I frowned.  
He simply smiled and placed his index finger to his lips. That day was the day I had truly lost a fight, but won a friend.


	2. The Elders

Theo was the boy's name. He never told me why he wanted to be friends, just kept asking to train him in the moves I had learned from Len, my caregiver. He was stubborn at first and tried the style in his own way, only to fail and look up at me with a frown from when I knocked him down a few times. My heart dropped the first time he had done this as I worried that he would tell his parents or even worse, The Elders.  
My bronze skin paled as I frantically apologized. He casually got up and then smiled placing his hand on my left shoulder, "Don't be. I should have taken your advice in the first place, White." He forced a smile as tears welled up in the corners of his eyes. His left cheek swelled up from the kick he received from me.  
"But-"  
"No, in all seriousness, I should have listened to you." He turned his face away. Theo's pride was already hurt, I can see why he didn't want me to see him wipe away his tears. I meekly smiled at him and gave him a hug. It was quick, but not quick enough from the High Elder as he walked by with the mentors.  
He shoved Theo away and hissed at him as though the poor boy had drank the holy sacrament of spiced water with the High Elder's cup. "Shame on you!" He had gathered me up into his arms placing a hand over my mouth. I hated this man's touch. The High Elder nodded to the mentors signalling them to take Theo away, then dragged me from the training grounds into the empty study hall chamber. His old flesh stretched along his thin long boney fingers that creaked with every movement. As a High Elder, he wore his robes of priesthood of golds and reds garnished with his High Elder robe of white with three lines of red trailing from his lower back up to his shoulders. Thick long waves of grey and blue hair was brushed back into a loose long braid as it was forbidden to cut your hair in our tribe unless punished. Last, his face was covered by a white clay mask with his name inscribed with red paint that swirled about in the most intricate design.  
He let me go letting me fall to the floor as I gathered myself into a heavy bow. My brow touching the floor and my hands touched the end of his robes that flowed well passed his feet. "High Elder Opai, please forgive my actions. I did not know what overcame me." I pleaded with a cry.  
"You would like that, would you not?" His voice was soothing, but I knew better than to look up at him. "You do know, we can just end you even if we think that you are sinning in lust as your mother had. You would bring disgrace to your mother, but also great punishment to our tribe. For us to lose another All Mother in a short time, tsk. Do you wish punishment to the tribe, child?" He proceeded to grab me by the root of my hair and pull me up to face him. I could see the glimmer of joy in the eye sockets of his mask. "Do you?" His voice dropped into a low rumble.  
"N-no High E-Elder Op-Opai." I trembled in fear as hot tears poured out from my eyes and down my cheek. "I-I do n-not wish f-for it!" I nearly choked my words out.  
"Good." He dropped me once more. I did not bother to move as towards the door. His footsteps stopped at the entrance. "All shall be forgiven once you go through your cleansing, child." He left.  
My whole being shuddered as I broke down into sobs. This was normal, at least for me. All tribe folks are allowed to show affection to a certain degree. Though since I would be the All Mother, I must be pure in all ways. And you thought that they would allow anyone to get close to you, do you not learn? Remember what they did to Len when she became too close to you? She now is missing an eye. Now Theo...  
"No...it isn't fair..." I sobbed. I was twelve at that time when this happened. I remembered how the sun hid behind dark clouds. The mountains covered in thick fog that slowly fell into the forest in rolls of mist. The warmth of our home groaned as it drank deep from the wet grounds from its roots. People could be heard praising to the gods for blessing us with the fresh water and our home. Soon it faded from view and hearing as the end off the hall came near and the massive red doors opened to greet me at the base of the tree.  
They stripped me of my tunic and trousers in the darkness as the doors closed behind me. Cold water burned my skin as they scrubbed me raw and the weight from my head lessen as I heard snipping of my hair. They clothed me in a simple undergarment gown. As soon as they did this, The Elders left.  
Time ceased and my mind began to numb along with all emotions and feelings. Once in awhile they would come in with food and water. Eventually, I could start hearing the voices of our ancestors whisper through the wooden walls. They told me I should run, that I shouldn't follow the Priest Yacob I's way. That they were wrong and done our tribe wrong for ever believing in that devil. I tried to hush their voices, I tried to reason with them. Some claimed to be my mother, she would say to listen to the blood that has been spilt on this old tree. When the voices were quiet enough, I would pray to the All Father for Theo and Len before training. The darkness was not hindering my work of training as I did not want to fail. Three years of this had commenced, I was told this when they found me in a pool of blood. My own blood.  
They wrapped my eyes and ears as they were sensitive to lights and sounds. Gathering me into one of The Elder's arms as though I was a babe swaddled in cloth, they gently moved me to private chambers where I was seen by the herbalist. Confused as the softly spoke to me, they told me I was now of age to go through the rights of passage of being a pure maiden.  
"How could I with my sight and hearing?" I bit on the bottom of my lip.  
"Child, it will be back to normal in a few weeks and you will be as good as new." The herbalist said softly as she gave me ointment for the bruises and cuts I had developed recently and made me drink bitter tea for the bleeding to be lighter. I did not notice the sharp pains that came to my hips and ached through my bones like hot embers in the flesh. The herbalist giggled and gave me another cup of bitter tea that tasted more of the earth than of leaves and bitter fruits. I gagged, but happily drank feeling the relief take over quickly.  
"Let's take off those bandages for now so that way you can start getting used to the sounds and your sight again." She unraveled the bandages and my eyes fluttered open. Darkness.  
"Is there no light in this room?" I frowned.  
"Like I said. Time." The herbalist helped me into a fresh set of clothes before helping me into bed.  
"Thank you." I yawned and drifted to sleep once I heard the door shut.

°•°•°

I did get my sight back to an extent. I wasn't able to see colors right anymore. Things such as orange looked red and yellow looked white. Green and blue kind of merged together. It was not quite green and not quite blue. Some purples looked pink and some greys looked purple. At least, sometimes this happened. Like when I grew tired or sparred someone. As for my hearing, it is less sensitive. Now I can tolerate loud sounds to an extent. The one thing I cannot stand for was the ringing of the night and morning bells.  
The herbalist was right, it took three weeks to accomplish just this. It was also in perfect timing as the rights of passage was only a week away. Now just to get the blessings of all Elders including the High Elder.


	3. Entry Ceremony

p id="docs-internal-guid-5e9d86c8-58a5-a0f7-e128-796275320db4" dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 34.4816px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" Our ancestors wandered the wilderness for centuries before finding our home we dwell in today. The Elders built temples and homes within the heavenly tree. Temples dedicated to the gods that reaches to the high branches in the skies. Most homes were carved in the lower branches based off of classes of the people. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 34.4816px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" I was told my father came from one of the lowest class as a farmer. His, like other farmers and cattle owner's homes were at the base of the tree. The lands that grow our food and raises our cattle are hidden through the hills and thick forest that encircles the heavenly tree. My mother, well she was in the highest temple of our god of strength and protection, U'yrd. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 34.4816px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" This is where I am, before the large wooden doors that are decorated with gold leaf etchings of U'yrd with his sword and shield at his sides. Roots entangled with colored glass made the ringed floors speckle with various colors. The leaves rustled as a soft breeze came through brushing long strands of white hair brushed off my shoulders and rested on my back. "Are you just going to gawk there, or are you going to inside?" A deep warm voice came from behind./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 34.4816px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" "Jasper, you know better than to talk to /spanspan style="font-size: 34.4816px; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"her./spanspan style="font-size: 34.4816px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"" A rather taller girl pushed passed me opening the doors. Her hair various purple strands with blue entwined in a long loose braid and her skin was the color of honeyed milk. She wore a black tunic with her family's crest embroidered with wooden beads dyed in indigo and lavender and a leather skirt that had went to her knees that had slits coming up her thighs exposing her black trousers. Her black boots laced up halfway up her calves had tucked in the ends of her trousers./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 34.4816px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" Biting the inside of my cheek, I glared at her before looking back to the man who was known as Jasper. His sun kissed skin decorated with black paint with his family crest on his face that was framed with midnight blue hair that pooled over his broad shoulders. He wore blue robes embroidered with his family's legacy that danced down his being as he moved swiftly by. His icy blue eyes peered down at me as a smile stretched across his face for a brief moment. "Of course, I shouldn't talk to the no name. Or are you simply jealous of me noticing someone else, Vivi?" He chuckled as he caught up to the woman. Their conversation drowned by the ringing of the bells. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 34.4816px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" I quickly placed my black hood over my head and carefully tucked in my hair. I was wearing a plain grey long tunic and black cotton shirts with brown knee high boots that softly thudded against the floors as I hurried in. There was already twenty others who stood before the platform of U'yrd. Their family crests proudly worn to show the strength of our tribe and each house that dwells within the tribe. I kept my head down to avoid gazes and conflicts. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 34.4816px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" Once the last bell rung out strong, the whispers were interrupted by the shuffling of robes. Robes of The Elders' that overlapped in endless flows of bright colors and flowers that symbolized their status. Their masks milk white, yet they spoke clearly behind them, "J'hai children." They all greeted us. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 34.4816px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" "I am sure that some of you are at the end of your summer training of the traditional coming of age, and some are just about to begin it. Ten of you will succeed in your family's class and others will go beyond. Let us not dwell on the last day of summer, but let us focus on the now. You all will sleep, eat, and train in this temple. Spars are allowed and age shall not block your limitations. You are all strong and this is why we chose you. If you are asked any time to leave, please do so in a quiet and calm matter. The males are not to dwindle amongst the females outside of training and studying. Unless of course they challenge the female to a spar. Both parties must agree to the terms before sparring and must have at least one mentor to witness it. Females, your quarters are on the left back side of the temple. Males, yours is the third floor on the right side above us. We wake up at dawn and slumber as the sun goes down. Meals will be provided three times a day. If you cannot follow these simple yet very crucial rules, you will be removed." Spoke The Elder in silver robes. "Now females, follow mentor Zyon to your quarters to wash up for supper." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 34.4816px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" My gaze trailed off to the right side to a brown robed woman with golden perky curled hair and amber eyes. Her skin a deep brown as the wood of our home held a soft smile and golden flecks of paint around her eyes and dipping into her cheek bones. She gestured for us to follow as she turned on her heels and slowly started to the corridor that lead to the back of the temple. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 34.4816px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" I turned to look back feeling gazes at me. I almost stumbled to see not only The Elders' faced towards me, but a tall young man with crimson red hair that went to the base of his neck who smiled as Jasper leaned against him with a whisper. /spanspan style="font-size: 34.4816px; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"That couldn't be,/spanspan style="font-size: 34.4816px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" my heart dropped, /spanspan style="font-size: 34.4816px; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"Theo?/spanspan style="font-size: 34.4816px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" My brows knitted together as I pursed my lips. I tried to not let the thoughts haunt me as I slipped behind the corner. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 34.4816px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" /spanspan style="font-size: 34.4816px; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"Theo...no, Theo had light green eyes. That man had...had what? /spanspan style="font-size: 34.4816px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"My mind tried to remember what I just saw, but couldn't. I hissed in frustration and shook my head. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 34.4816px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" "Please keep together," Zyon called out which snapped my attention back to reality. I quickened my pace to catch up. There is no special treatment for the nameless and the rest. We were all finally on the same ground. Or so I hoped. The total female trainee count was four. Four who may aim for All Mother or at least a high warrior title./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 34.4816px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" We stopped as soon as we entered a mess hall that split up to the kitchens on the left and two corridors that lead to the sleeping and bathing chambers. Zyon looked at all of us with a smile. "I personally think that you all seem worthy to fight for our tribe. Please treat each other with kindness as each young woman beside you is your sister on the battlefield. This is not to be a competition. With that, I would like you four to state your name and age. I say this, because blood will shed in this temple and it is best to remember those you fought along side with to the very detail. To give them honor in your memory of them, let us start with you," Zyon pointed at a blonde girl that was probably a year older than I was. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 34.4816px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" The sun left specks of small kisses on her cheeks as her clear water eyes sparkled while she smiled. "J'hai, I am Genevieve Taij and I just turned sixteen as of the third quarter of spring." Her voice was as perky as her attitude. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 34.4816px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" "J'hai." Vivi spoke next. "I am seventeen born on the midnight of the winter festival, and my name is Vivian Broid." Vivian's voice was rather cold and distant, but she forced a smile and glanced to the girl next to her as if that was her cue./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 34.4816px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" "O-oh, um j'hai. I am Nona." The girl paled as she brushed back her purple bangs behind her ear. Her red hair curled down in messy waves to her hips. "I was born the second day of the first quarter of harvest fifteen years ago." She meekly smiled then it suddenly dropped when her eyes came to mine./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 34.4816px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" "J'hai, I am the nameless. Born on the eve of the end of the year. I am also fifteen." I spoke as clear as I could and kept my eyes to the ground./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 34.4816px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" The quietness felt like it was crushing me for an unknown time, even though it was short as it broke by Zyon. "Well, please help yourselves to a bath to cleanse you from the world you left behind. You will be given new clothes after, but first let me show you to your chambers." She grinned and lead us to a hallway that had a window at each end letting in the light that fed down it. Oil lamps hung in-between each door along with vines and roots giving life to the narrow walkway. A total of five doors greeted us. "Please, one to each room and if you ever need me during the night, I shall be at the very end of this hall." She pointed down the right of the hall. "Once the bell rings, it is supper time." Zyon called out to us as the girls scrambled to their rooms based on the symbol of each door that held their family's crest./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 34.4816px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" I hesitated before looking over to Zyon who walked up to me. "Nameless one, your room is whatever isn't marked." Her tone dropped as well as her smile. "Please do not make me hold your hand throughout all this."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 34.4816px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" "I do not expect you to do so. I was just merely in awe at how beautiful this place is. Every carved ornament and symbol on the pillars and walls of this place makes my blood boil to strive harder to succeed in my mother's place even more. After all, this is the house of U'yrd that embeds the All Mother with all her gifts and power." I bowed and turned to go to the very last door on the left. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 34.4816px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" Zyon scoffed in disgust and did this loud enough for me to hear as I entered my room. It was a fair sized room with a simple bed made of wool by the window sill that had pillows to sit and look out to gaze down at our home and the mountains in the horizon. A small chest at the end of the bed had quilts folded on top and on the left of my side by the entry was a small round table with two chairs and an oil lamp in the center. I smiled and quickly made my way to the window to gaze down at the view./span/p 


End file.
